Twelve-year old footballer back on the pitch

Twelve-year old Dean from Inverness thought he just needed glasses when he started to suffer from blurry vision. Little did he or his family know it was a symptom of something much more serious.

After visiting an optician, he was thankfully referred on to the Ophthalmology department at Raigmore Hospital who carried out tests and identified a build-up of fluid caused by a ‘blockage’ on his brain.

Dean seemed to have no other symptoms, and was back at school, when his mum Lynn received a call from his doctors to say that he needed to be rushed to hospital straight away for treatment.

Just a day later Dean, who had been transferred to a hospital in Glasgow, was given life-saving surgery on his brain to redirect the fluid that had built up around a tumour.

The operation was a success, and Dean was sent home to recover, but just two days later contracted bacterial meningitis and was rushed back to Glasgow for a second operation. Speaking to The Scottish Sun, his mum Lynn said: “It was absolutely devastating to think we could lose one of our children.

“He still has the tumour. But Dean hasn’t let it stop him. He’s sports mad and was back playing football three months after his operations.”

Dean who is a huge football fan and trains with Inverness Caledonian Thistle Under-13s, was back playing games just a few months later. He was even treated to a visit from some of the Rangers team but made sure he was wearing his Caley top!

Dean’s mum credits his fantastic treatment at Glasgow Children’s Hospital and his strict fitness regime and diet at the club as helping his recovery.

She said: “Dean hasn’t let his tumour stop him and I couldn’t be more proud of him for all he’s overcome and achieved.”

For more information about recognising the signs and symptoms of meningitis click here.

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